Traveling copy for typists



March 25, 1924. 51,488,459 T. A. BIGGS ET AL,

I TRAVELING COPY FOR TYPISTS Filed July 20, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. 2: 14.51555 4.1:. VANDZ' W A TTORNEYS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Z: A. F1555 A. I. VANLZ' dpmddlif ATTORNEYS.

m NR March 25 1924.

'r. A. BIGGS ET AL TRAVELING COPY FOR TYFISTS Filed July 2Q 1.922

Patented Mar. 25, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT F o'FFieE.

THOIVIAS A. BIGGS, OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA, AND ANDREW E. VANCE, OF LONGBEACH, CALIFORNIA.

TRAVELING COPY FOR TYPIS'IS.

App1ication'fi1ed'J'u1y 20,1922. Serial No. 576,402.

To a ii /tom vft may concern Be it known that we, THOMAS A. BIGGS andANDREW l3). 7A'NCE citizens of the United States, and residents of SiouxCity, in the county'of 1V oodbury and State of Iowa, and Long Beach, inthe county of-Los Angeles and State of California, have i11- ventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Traveling Copies for Typists, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Our invention provides an improved moving copy device for studenttypists embodying certain novel characteristics and features ofconstruction which facilitate learning the so-called-toueh system oftypewriting.

Another object of the invention is the production of a device of thisclass providing copies for the student which move at gradually varyingspeeds whereby the student is required to copy faster as she or he gainsspeed and accuracy.

l urthermore, the invention has-for an object the production of a deviceof this sort, which is exceedingly simple and inexpensive inconstruction, yet stable and thoroughly efiicient in operation.

The above and other-objects and advantages we successfully attain in theembodiments hereinafter described, defined in the appended claims andillustrated in'the accompanying drawings in which like characters ofreference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, ofwhich;-

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a device constructed in accordance withthe invention, parts being cut away and shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged, perspective view of one of the screenmembers.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of one of the belttightening elements, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, front elevation of a modified form of thedevice.

Referring, now, more particularly to Sheet 1 of the drawings, the deviceincludes a suitabl superstructure, preferably consisting of a.rectangular frame having upper. and lower horizontal bars, 5, andsuitable upright end members, 6 and 7 At one end of the frame is anupright drive-shaft, 8,-journaled in suitable bearings, 9, on the fameand having mounted thereon drive pulleys, 10, connected :by belts, 11,,with idler pulleys, 12, suitably mounted at the opposite ends ofztheframe. The pulleys,

12, are preferably carried by yokes, 13, on

gradually varying diameters with respect to their arrangement on theshaft, 8, whereby the belts are driven at different speeds. On the beltsare lines of printedelements, as letters, syllables, Words .or numerals,which the students are required to copy, as

.will be more fully explained.

In the present embodiment w provide each belt with. two such printedlines,'16 and 17, respectively. The copy is screened from the vision ofthe students by suitable means having windows past which the copytravels, successively revealing a limited number of the printed elementsof each line. The screening vmeans preferably includes upright bars,18,-between which aresupported sheetmetal-plates, 19, the side portionsof which are slidably disposed within grooves, 20, in the bars, 18,within which grooves the bars are provided with leaf springs, 21,whicl'rimpinge the edges of the plates, .19, to hold them againstprecipitation when they areraised. The plates,'19,

ar each provided with windows for there- .SPECtlVG'bGltS, 11, eachwindow preferably consisting of an elongated, horizontal opening, 22,su'lliciently wide to expose but one line of the copy and sufficientlyshort to expose but a limited number of the printed elements. Thewindows of each screen member, 19, are preferably alternately arrangedin two vertical rows. Removable covers are provided for the respectiveopenings, which may consist of sheet metal plates, 23, slidable over andfrom the windows between the screens, 19, and guideclips or ears, 24,sheared and pressed outwardly from the elements, 19.

The frame is supported in any suitable manner, preferably on anextensible standard, 25, adapted to rest on the floor.

The drive-shaft, 8, is actuated from any suit-able source of power, asby an electric motor, 26, mounted on a suitable bracket, 2'(

.lower positions, the windows reveal the 7 tion thereof is thoughtunnecessary.

lower lines of copy on the belts, and when the screens are movedupwardly, as the intermediate screen in Fig. l, the windows expose theupper lines on the belts.

Substantially the same results are obtained by the modificationpresented in Fig. l, wherein the same superstructure and drive shaft maybe employed, the drive-shaft having fixed thereon a drive roller, 30,connected by a broad belt, 3i, with an idler roller, 32, suitablymounted at the opposite end .of the frame. The modification is equippedwith the same screen mechanism as disclosed in the preferred form, andfurther descrip- Upon the belts are printed the lines of copy, theprinted elements of the successive lines of which are spaceddifferently; that is, the words of the upper line are spaced slightlyfurther apart than those of the second line and in each succeeding linethe words are closer together until in the lower line the words are onlyslightly spaced. By virtue of this arrangement it is clear that thewords of each line appear more frequently through the associated windowof the screen than those of the preceding line.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is m l. A device of theclass described comprising a copy means including a plurality of linesof printed elements, and screening means for concealing said elementsand adapted at determinate points to reveal a limited number of saidelements, one of said means being movable with respect to the otherlongitudinally of the lines, whereby the printed elements aresuccessively revealed, said copy' means and screening means being soconstructed, arranged and related that the printed elements of each linewill 3. A device of the class described compris ing screening meanshaving windows, and mechanism 1n the rear thereof including an endlessdriven means and a plurality of lines of printed elements thereonrevealed successively through the windows, the elements of each linebeing revealed at intervals of time diiferent from those of the otherlines.

4s. A device of the class described embody ing a plurality of parallelbelts, lines of printed elements thereon, pulleys for the belts, andscreening means to con'ceal said,

elements and having windows through which a limited number of theelements of each line are successively revealed, and means for drivingthe belts each at a different speed than the others. r

5. A device of the class described embody ing a plurality of parallelbelts, lines of printed elements thereon, pulleys for the belts,screening means to conceal said .elements and having windows throughwhich a limited number of the elements of each line are successivelyrevealed, and means for driving the belts each at a diiferent speed thanthe others, and removable coverings for the windows. 7

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this 11th day ofJuly, 1922' THOMAS A, BIGGS.

ANDRElN E. VANCE.

